I just realized this is my 12th year attending and my 10th year as one of the organizers of the festival. Ten years. Wow.

This year, there will be three stages of music and a tent.

The Crazy Viking Stage will be located at Elm Avenue and 36th Street and will feature the bands Chelsea Graveyard and the Screams at Midnight, Bet The Devil, South Carey, Old Lines, War On Women, Slow Bull, The Pilgrim, Ryan Shelkett, and Northernmost.

The Wham City Stage will be located in front of Bank of America and will feature the bands Impatience Machine, Ami Dang and Kate Levitt, Which Magic and Creepers. There will also be comedy by Charlotte Benedetto and other participants of the popular Wham City Comedy Night. And then, rap acts PT Burnem, Rapdragons, Mickey Free, AK Slaughter and DJ Mark Brown will close out the stage.

The Atomic Books Stage will be at the intersection of 36th Street and Hickory Avenue and will feature the bands Judge Mental, Lushfarm, Balkan Falcon, Monster Museum, Jumbled, Pure Junk, Adults, Sal Bando and Jaabs.

The Modern Music/Roundtable DJ tent will be at the intersection of Chestnut Avenue and 36th Street and will feature Chris Bulla, Nature, Simetra, DJ Infinity, Demetrios and more.

This year, we'll have beer by three local brewers, The Brewers Art, Pub Dog, and north Baltimore's new Union Craft Brewing, in Woodberry.

There will be a kids' area, the return of the popular toilet races, Cafe Hon's Bread Pudding Eating Contest, the second Great Baltimore Mac-Off macaroni and cheese competition, and, for the first time, The Inter-Restaurant Battle , an obstacle course race featuring the folks who work at our local restaurants.

Also, you can expect an array of great merchants, vendors, foods and fun.

In the meantime, local author Mikita Brottman will discuss, read from and sign copies of her new book, "Thirteen Girls," and another area author J.R. Angelella will read from his new book, "Zombie: A Novel," at Atomic Books, 3620 Falls Road, on Saturday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m.. The event is part of the Atomic Fiction Series, co-hosted by Kathy Flann and yours truly. It's free to the public.

Friday, Sept. 7 is First Fridays in Hampden. Many stores will be open late, hosting events, having specials and offering snacks.

Also Sept. 7 is Celebrated Summer Records' six-year anniversary party at Golden West Cafe, 1105 W. 36th St., from p.m. to 1 a.m., with bands Giuda, White Wires, Nightbirds, Scum Again and Merchandise. Think of it as the unofficial pre-party for Hampdenfest.